FRSEM-UA 541.001
Conspiracy Theories:
Paranoid Fictions before and after Freud
W 9:30-12
24 W. 4th St., Room C6
Office Hours:
Tuesday 11-12
Prof. Eliot Borenstein
Russian & Slavic Studies
19 University Place, Room 210
998-8676 (w)
eb7@nyu.edu
Or by appointment
The century that recently came to a close was the golden age of paranoia: with its clash of
ideologies and the rise and fall of metanarratives (modernism, postmodernism, Marxism, etc.),
the twentieth century saw a proliferation of conspiracy theories and intricate attempts to impose
rational order on increasingly chaotic systems. In America, at least, the reigning paranoid
fantasies of the nineteenth century lost much of their purchase, growing quaint and laughable:
whereas in Russia and other parts of Europe, it is still possible to invoke world-wide Masonic
conspiracies, in the United States such ideological narratives have either been replaced by myths
rooted in science and pseudoscience, involving secret government laboratories, alien abductions,
and hidden branches of government, or updated for a post-Freudian age (Satanic ritual abuse).
This course posits that paranoia in general and conspiracy theories in particular are best viewed
as narrative constructs that fulfill specific epistemological functions: they are explanatory myths,
but, unlike many creation stories, they deal with demiurges rather than full-fledged gods,
demonstrating how dark forces have ruined a pre-existing world rather than inventing it wholecloth.
In this course, we will read narratives that both exemplify and explore the modernist and
postmodernist paranoid mindset. Some of these texts exploit the potential of first-person
storytelling in order to delve into solipsism; others depict a simulated world in which all
representation proves to be an illusion. A significant portion of our readings is made up by
science fiction. As a genre, science fiction is particularly well-suited to representing and
interrogating paranoia; since its conventions allow for the fulfillment of a number of paranoid
tropes (all-powerful conspiracies, hyperreality, and worlds created entirely for the benefit or
detriment of a particular character). In particular has become a particularly attractive locus of
paranoid anxiety.
In addition, we will also be reading a number of theoretical works related to paranoia and
conspiracy.
Course Requirements
No knowledge of any foreign language is expected, as all works will be read and discussed in
English. Some of the texts are translated from other languages--feel free to read them in the
original if you have the proficiency. It is essential that you keep up with the reading assignments
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and come to class prepared either to make observations or ask questions. Attendance is, of
course, mandatory.
Blackboard and the Internet
Blackboard, which is accessible through the "Academics" tab of NYU Home, is an important part
of course, facilitating announcements and the distribution of course materials.
Please keep in mind that, by default, Blackboard uses your NYU email account. Many of you
may have other email accounts that you use. If so, it is a quite simple matter to arrange for your
email from one account to be forwarded automatically to the other. I strongly urge you to do so.
It is your responsibility to make sure that you are receiving official email sent to your NYU
account.
Class participation
Classes will be a mix of lecture and discussion. Everyone is encouraged to participate in
discussion, which will be facilitated by short papers (see below). Class participation is a factor in
your final grade.
Writing Assignments
There will be two short analysis papers and a final seminar paper (or the option of two shorter
midterm and final papers—see below).
The short analysis papers may be no longer than three pages, and they can be about any of the
works we are reading. These papers are a tool to help you think about an aspect of the text that
interests you, and any ideas you generate in the course of these assignments would be welcome
contributions to class discussion. You must turn in the short paper by the beginning of the last
class during which the text is being discussed. That is, if you want to write an analysis of AntiOedipus, you must turn this paper in on September 27 If we are only spending one class period
on the work, then you must turn in the short paper at the beginning of that class. No late short
papers will be accepted under any circumstances.
You may not wait until December to turn in both short papers. The semester has been divided
into two halves, and you must write one short paper by each of these two deadlines. That is, your
first short paper must be turned in no later than October 11, and the second short paper is due no
later than December 6. Though you are not allowed to wait to do all the short papers until the
end of the course, if you feel you would rather do your short papers earlier (turning two short
papers during the first segment of the course), you are free to do so.
The topic of the final paper is yours to choose. It is hoped that the short papers will lead you
toward topics for your longer paper(s). Your final paper (15-18 pages) may be based on a short
paper.
The final paper must be turned in by December 18.
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If you do not want to do a long paper at the end of the semester, you have the option of doing
two shorter papers (8-10 pages). The midterm paper is due on November 8, while the final
paper is due on December 18. If you do not turn in the first paper by November 8, you lose the
option of doing two shorter papers.
You must send me a one- paragraph abstract of your final paper(s) in advance. This does
not mean you have to write exactly what you say you are going to write, but I need evidence that
you are giving the assignment some thought. The deadline for the abstract for the final paper is
November 29. If you are doing two papers, the deadline for the first abstract is October 25.
These abstracts are graded. If you do not turn them in, you get an “F” for the assignment.
However, if you get a “B” on the abstract but still write an “A” paper, the abstract grade will be
retroactively raised to an “A”.
In addition, I welcome full or partial drafts of any of these writing assignments. Drafts of the
short papers must be shown to me no later than one week before the due date; drafts of the long
papers must be submitted no later than two weeks before the due date.
Electronic submission of written assignments
You are welcome to submit hard copies of your short and long papers. However, I prefer to
receive students' papers electronically. Blackboard has a "digital drop box" feature, but I have
not found it to be particularly reliable. Therefore, please send me your assignments by email, as
attachments. The preferred format is any version of Word (97 or above, any platform)--such
documents usually take the ".doc" extension. Failing that, .rtf files (which can be generated by
most word processing programs) are also fine. I can open most other formats as well, including
Word Perfect (.wpd), but this requires some extra effort on my part. Please feel free to consult
with me about file format questions.
When you submit a paper electronically, please give it a descriptive filename. I have dozens of
students, and if all of you send me files called "ConspiracyAssignment" or "Pynchon Paper," this
will be confusing and frustrating. After the first time you make this mistake, I will not accept
another paper with an unidentifiable file name.
The preferred (but not required) format for file names is <Student last name> <Type of
assignment> <Assignment number> <Topic >. Examples: if Bonnie Tyler has written a second
short paper on Kafka, the file should be something like "Tyler Short Paper 2 (Kafka).doc". If
Eric Roberts has written a midterm paper on Cordwainer Smith then the file should be something
like "Roberts Midterm (Smith.doc". A final paper on Richard Dawkins by Scott Baio would be
"Baio Final (Dawkins).doc".
Finally, please note that I have two different email accounts (eb7@nyu.edu and
eliotb@spymac.com). The NYU account automatically forwards mail to the spymac account.
Please do not send email to both accounts at once (“cc”); if you do, I will end up with three
copies of your message.
Final Grade
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Your final grade will be determined as follows:
Short papers:
Class participation
:
Abstract(s):
Final paper (or 2 shorter papers):
30%
20%
10%
40%
Required Texts, Part One
(NYU Book Store)
Banks, Iain. The Wasp Factory
Dawkins, Richard. The Selfish Gene.
Deleuze, Gilles and Felix Guattari. Anti-Oedipus.
Dick, Philip K. Ubik.
Kafka, Franz. The Trial.
Olesha, Yuri. Envy.
Pelevin, Viktor. Omon-Ra.
Pynchon, Thomas. The Crying of Lot 49.
Sologub, Fedor. The Petty Demon.
Required Texts , Part Two
(On Blackboard)
The rest of the readings for this class will be available in two formats on Blackboard: Rich Text
Format (.rtf), which can be read and printed using virtually any word processing program on any
platform, and .pdf, which treats the articles as images rather than texts. Occasionally, the files
are in .html format rather than .rtf.
Finally, please note that you must bring the texts with you to class.
Baron-Cohen, Simon. Mindblindness: An Essay on Autism and Theory of Mind (Chs. 1-5)
Baudrillard, Jean. Simulacra and Simulations (excerpts).
Freud, Sigmund. “A Case of Paranoia Running Counter to the Psycho-Analytic Theory of the
Disease.” The Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud.
Translated from the German under the General Editorship of James Strachey in
Collaboration with Anna Freud. Assisted by Alix Strachey and Alan Tyson. Volume XIV
(1920-1922). 261-272.
---. “On Narcissism: An Introduction.” The Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological
Works of Sigmund Freud. Translated from the German under the General Editorship of
James Strachey in Collaboration with Anna Freud. Assisted by Alix Strachey and Alan
Tyson. Volume XIV (1920-1922). 67-102.
---. “Psycho-Analytic Notes upon an Autobiographical Account of a Case of Paranoia (Dementia
Paranoides).” Collected Papers. Volume 3. Authorized Translation by Alix and James
Strachey. New York: Basic Books, 1959. 387-470.
--- “Some Neurotic Mechanisms In Jealousy, Paranoia And Homosexuality.” The Standard
Edition of the Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud. Translated from the
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German under the General Editorship of James Strachey in Collaboration with Anna Freud.
Assisted by Alix Strachey and Alan Tyson. Volume XVIII (1920-1922). 221-232.
Kinderman, Peter " Social Cognition in Paranoia and Bipolar Affective Disorder." The Social
Brain: Evolution and Pathology. Edited by Martin Brune, Hedda Ribbert and Wulf
Schiefenhovel. Chichester, England.: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, 2003
Kis, Danilo. “The Book of Kings and Fools.” The Encyclopedia of the Dead. Trans. Michael
Henry Heim. Evanston: Northwestern University Press, 133-174.
Macdonald, Andrew. The Turner Diaries.
Malzberg, Barry N. “A Galaxy Called Rome.” in Mike Resnick and Anthony R. Lewis (eds.).
The Passage of the Light: The Recursive Science Fiction of Barry N. Malzberg.
Framigham, MA: The NESFA Press, 1994. 125-136.
--- Beyond Apollo. New York: Randhom House, 1972.
Protocols of the Elders of Zion, The.
Ruskin, John. "The Pathetic Fallacy."
Smith, Cordwainer. “Scanners Live in Vain.” in James A. Mann (ed.). The Rediscovery of Man
The Complete Short Science Fiction of Cordwainer Smith. Framingham, MA: The NESFA
Press, 1993. 65-95.
Wimsatt & Beardsley. "The Intentional Fallacy."
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CLASS SCHEDULE
October 29 (W) Pynchon
 Read Pynchon
 Read Kinderman
Final Paper Abstract Due
September 3 (W) Introduction
September 10 (W) Paranoia:
Theory and Practice (1)
For Today:
 Read Freud
September 17 (W) Paranoia in the Provinces
For Today:
 Read Sologub
 Read Baron Cohen Chs 1-2
November 5 (W) “It’s Not Real”
For Today:
 Read Dick, Ubik
 Read Baudrillard
November 12 (W) The Devil Made Me Do It
 Watch Rosemary’s Baby
September 24 (W) Banks
For Today:
 Read Banks
 Read Baron Cohen Chs 3-4
Final Deadline for Short Paper #1
October 1 (W) The Truth Is Out There
 Read Barkun
October 8 (W) Complex Persecution Complexes
For Today:
 Read Kafka
 Read Wimsatt
October 15 (W) Ideology (1):
Manichaen Delusions
For Today:
 Read Olesha
 Read Ruskin
Optional Midterm Paper Abstract Due
October 22 (W) Paranoia:
Theory and Practice (2)
For Today:

 Read Deleuze & Guattari (special
focus on Part 1, Part 2, and Chapters 1
and 5 of Part 4)
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November 19 (W) Body Snatchers
 Read Dick, “The Father Thing”
 Watch Invasion of the Body Snatchers
 Watch Invasion of the Body Snatchers
Final Paper Abstract Due
November 26 (W) The Pathos of Outer
(and Inner) Space
For Today:
 Read Pelevin, Omon-Ra
 Watch Capricorn One
Final Deadline for Short Paper #2
December 3 (W) It’s Reigning Men
For Today:
 Read Varley, “Manikins”

 Read Sheldon, “The Screwfly Solution”

 Watch The Stepford Wives
December (T) FINAL PAPER DUE
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